This invention relates to a printing control apparatus and method for controlling a device such as a printing device having a binding function for binding together a plurality of sheets of output paper output by the device.
A system in which printing is performed using a computer conventionally includes a function according to which the printer in such a system outputs a specified number of copies of the printed document. A copier has a stapling function for binding together the printout on a per-copy basis in order to eliminate the labor involved in gathering the printout together copy by copy when a plurality of copies have been made, as well as the labor involved in binding the copies together.
However, the state of the art is such that a printing device for printing print data from a host computer or the like does not possess such a stapling function. If a stapling function is added onto a printing device utilized by a host computer, therefore, the host computer will be incapable of supporting the stapling function. This makes it necessary for the host computer to be able to control the stapling function.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a printing control apparatus and method whereby a printing device having a binding function can be controlled and excellent operability assured.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a printing control apparatus for controlling a printing device having a function for binding paper output by the printing device, comprising size setting means for setting paper size, display means for deciding, in dependence upon the set paper size, positions at which binding can be performed, and displaying these positions as candidates, selecting means for selecting a desired position from the candidates displayed, and transmitting means for transmitting the position selected by the selecting means to the printing device as a binding position.
Further, the foregoing object is attained by providing a printing control method for controlling a printing device having a function for stapling paper output by the printing device, comprising a size setting step of setting paper size, a display step of deciding, in dependence upon the set paper size, positions at which binding can be performed, and displaying these positions as candidates, a selecting step of selecting a desired position from the candidates displayed, and a transmitting step of transmitting the position selected at the selecting step to the printing device.
Further, the foregoing object is attained by providing a computer readable storage medium storing a computer program in accordance with which printing is performed by a printing device having a function for binding paper output by the printing device, comprising size setting processing code for setting paper size, display processing code for deciding, in dependence upon the set paper size, positions at which binding can be performed, and displaying these positions as candidates, selecting processing code for selecting a desired position from the candidates displayed, and transmitting processing code for transmitting the position selected by the selecting processing to the printing device.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.